Motor-vehicle.



No. 655,329. Patented Aug. 7, I900. J. T. DOUGINE. moms VEHICLE.

(Application filed July 27, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Shut I.

(No Model.)

m1, wunmamu o c Patented Aug. 7, I900.

J. T. DDUGINE.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed July 27, 1899.) (No'NodsL) 4 Sheets$heot 2.

J. T. DOUGINE.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application filed Jul 27 1899. (No Model.) y

s PEYR cc, PHOYO-LITHO, WASHINGTON. u c.

Patented Aug. 7, I900.

4 Sheets--Sheat 3 Patente'd Aug. 7, I900;

J. T. DDUGINE.

MOTUFI VEHICLE.

(Application filed July 27, 1399.

4 SheetsSheet 4,

No llndel.)

1 warns Pawns :0. W0

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. DOUGINE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 655,329, dated. August 7, 1900.

Application filed July 27, 1899. Serial No. 725,220. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES T. DOUGINE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ohicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvemen ts in Motor-Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description, such as will enable personswho are skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to motor-vehicles, more especially to the running-gear and relative appurtenances thereof,by means of which a strong, rigid, and durable construction is produced, and at the same time a very economically propelled, easily controlled, and fiexible operation is secured.

One object of my invention is to construct the running-gear of a vehicle in such a manner that each wheel may be separately supplied with a distinct and independent source of propelling power.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a running-gear so arranged that each pair of wheels included therein maybe placed with reference to their turning axis in lines radiating from a common center around which the vehicle is to turn, the means by which they are so placed being accomplished by the direct operation of a single controlling device in the hands of the manipulator or by supplying a varying quantity or energy to the respective motors, or by both; to provide a means for applying a braking friction to the wheels of the vehicle and coextensively with the moving elements of the driving-motors, and to improve generally the construcsection taken through lines 3 3 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detailed views of the braking mechanism. Fig. 6 is a view looking from the bottom and a modified mechanism for shifting the bearings carrying the respective traction-wheels. Fig. 7 is a plan view of same, showing the wheels and their respective shafts shifted into a radial position for the purpose of turning the vehicle around a curve of a very short radius. Fig. 8 is a brokenaway detail'of the two truck-rings, showing the means employed for connecting them together. Fig. 9 is a section through line 9 9 of Fig. 8. p p

Fig. 1 shows the running gear with the propellin g and braking mechanism left off. This view is taken looking from the bottom, so as to show more plainly the means employed for shifting the position of the respective wheels and their bearing-shafts. The device consists of two trucks A and B, each containing a single pair of traction-wheels. The large ring a, around the outside circumference of which the traction-wheels a a are adapted to be turned, together with the supporting-shaft a 1 have termed a truck-ring. Two segments of a ring of practically-equal diameter a a provide bearings for shafts a a. a An extension of segments, a having a slightly-shorter radius and having gear-teeth 1 cut into its outside circumference, joins the two segments a a together. Anotherexten- 'sion (1 similar in character on the opposite side connects the two segments together in like manner, completing a ring. This ring I shall call the guide-ring, 'because it is by the operation or movement of this ring or a portion thereof, as will be more fully hereinafter explained, that the vehicle is guided.

The two segme'nts'o. a joined by a a", are operatively guided to the bottom of ring a, so

that it may be made to turn around the sameaxis as that of ring a, clips a a, Fig. 2, being shown associated with a channel'that may be cut into the top surface of the said segments as a means for guiding the latter around ring a.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, the two rings a and b are joined together by bolt a, upon which they are free to turn a slight distance, being limited by the stop (L13, the object of the latter being to prevent the gear-segments a b from becoming unshipped when the respective trucks are caused to occupy greatlydifferent horizontal planes, as when traveling over extraordinarily-uneven roadways.

The ring, composed of segments a a a a", may be shifted in its radial position with respect to ring a by means of a pinion a, which meshes into the gear of segment a and which may be turned by means of the shaft (615 and wheel 0, The shaft is'loosely attached to ring a, as shown.

It is plainly evident that when the guideri'ng of truck A is turned into a position by the pinion a in virtue of the gearing a and l) the guide-ring of truck B will be equally moved, so that the two sets of tractidn-wheels, with their respective shafts, will occupy positions similar to that shown in Fig. 7, the shafts being then radial from a common center. The same position as that shown in Fig. 7 or any intermediate position may be secured by applying the power in unequal quantities to the respective individual motors. For instance, if power be applied only to wheels Z) and a wheel I) would move ahead and b would move backward slightly, while wheel a would move ahead and a would retrograde. If a similar position be desired, with the wheels and shafts radiating from a point on the opposite side, it can be secured by applying power to the two wheels that were inactive in the first illustration or by turning the wheel a in the proper direction.

When the device is in position shown in Fig. 7 and it is desirable to go around a curve of a short radius, the utilization of the power for driving'the vehicle in virtue of my peculiar arrangements, associations, and control of the various parts is as economically applied as when the vehicle is traveling constantly in a straight line.

Referring to Fig. 7, the bars 0 and cl (shown also in Fig. 6) may be used in lieu of gear-segments a 5 They are especially desirable when a longer wheel-base is required than can be obtained when the ringsA and B are brought as closely together as shown in the drawings. In this event the king-bolt c Fig. 9, may be longer.

The manner of operation of the bars 0 dis so evident, it is thought, as to require no further explanation. The shaft a (shown in Fig. 1) represents the two motor-shafts for the two motors a and a, to the outer end of which are attached the pinions a a respectively. These pinions are meshed into the respective spur-gears a (L22, the latter being firmly attached to the traction-wheels a a respectively.

The motors (electric motors are shown) are suspended on a stationary shaft a They are each attached to a cross-bar n which is fixed to a vertical pin 64 Through the latter the shaft a passes. The outer end of the cross bar (L23 is loosely supported within the groove of the eye-beam ring a. An extension from each of the motors may also be supported in said groove, as shown. lVith this construction the motors move in line with the traction-wheels, shaft, and structure attached to the guide-ring or sliding bearings. A disk (1 is attached to the motor-shaft a A brakeshoe is suspended from bolt 0, and is adapted to exert a frictional contact with the periphery of the said disk. The geared rim n which is attached to the wheel a (see Fig. 4) contains an internal replaceable wearingring, against which brake-shoe a is adapted to bear. The arm that carries this brakeshoe is pivotally attached to shaft M. A down a surrounding a rod (r which passes freely through arm at, holds the two arms (1, and (L in a practically-fixed relation when the brakes areoi1that is, when the brake-shoes (L25 and (Ware not applied to their respective surfacesbut permit their relation to be changed while the brakes are being applied.

I have described the parts contained in and associated with truck A. Those parts that are similarly associated with truck 13 are identically the same in nature and character.- I have therefore designated them with the corresponding numeral with reference-letter b.

The operation of my device is as follows: Let it be assumed that my vehicle is to be driven by storage batteries and electric motors. A rheostat may be included in each separate circuit supplying the motors, and by this means a varying circuit may be supplied to the respective motors, anda general rheostat may be employed for controlling the circuit supplied to the motors, all contained in one common circuit either in parallel or in series. The operation and principles involved, as described, will be readily understood by those persons that are versed in the art to which it appertains.

By the means above described-to wit, by the manipulation of the individual rheostatsthe energy supplied to the motors may be individually varied to suit the exigencies of the occasion for the purpose hereinbefore referred to, and by means of the general.

rheostat the current collectively supplied may be varied for the purpose of controlling the speed of the vehicle.

W'here vehicles have wheels provided with rubber tires, I prefer to attach an annulus, preferably a cast-iron ring, to the said wheel concentric therewith andintermediate of the rim and hub and utilize the said annulus for the purpose of applying friction to retard the motion of the vehicle, or, in other words, the ring forms one elementof the brake to which a suitable shoe may be applied. I also find it desirable to arrest the velocity of the propelling-armature, so that too great a strain will not be received by the intermediate train of gearing by which said armature may be attached to said wheels. I therefore provide a brake for the armature and arrange it with reference to the brake on the traction-wheels so that they may both be applied at the same time and by one operation.

\Vhen the rod 00 is depressed, the rod e is pulled forward by means of the bell-crank a The brake-shoe a is thereby pressed into frictional contact with the annulus G21. As the arm n moves forward arm c0 also moves forward, bringing into contact brakeshoe c4 carried thereby and disk a. The open springct is the means through which the pressure between the two arms a and a is transmitted. This flexible medium between the two brake-shoe arms is needed, as the wear of the friction parts is uneven and it would be practically impossible to bring all of the surfaces into contact without some such yielding connections.

I do not wish to be confined to the exact construction shown and described, as a considerable latitude or variation in the form and arrangement of the various parts may be made without departing from the scope and gist of my invention, and I wish it understood that I reserve to myself the right to use and practice all such variations that may hereinafter be deemed expedient that may fairly fall within the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A vehicle running-gear consisting of two pair of traction-wheels, a frame for each pair of traction-wheels, a path around the vertical axis of said frame through which it is adapted to be moved, and an independent motor for each wheel thereof operatively connected thereto and bodily moving therewith, substantially as set forth.

2. A vehicle running-gear consisting of two rings, or equivalent, loosely attached together, a pair of traction-wheels associated with each ring, a frame for supporting said traction-wheels, a path in which said frame moves around its own vertical axis, an independent motor attached to each tractionwheel and a means for independently or collectively controlling said motors, substantially as set forth.

3. In a self-propelled vehicle the combination of a tractionwheel, a friction-surface on said traction-wheel, a brake-shoe adapted to engage with said friction-surface, a propel ling-motor adapted to rotate said tractionwheel, a friction-surface on the moving member of said propelling-motor, a means for positively applying the brake to the said tractionwheel, and a yielding connection for applying the brake to the said propelling-motor operated by the same mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. A vehicle running-gear consisting of two trucks, each truck being provided with a single pair of traction-Wheels, a motor attached to and moving with each traction-wheel, a means such as a bolt for connecting said two trucks together, whereby they are rigidly held in a longitudinal direction, but are free to oscillate with respect to each other, substan tially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscrib- 7 5 ing witnesses, this 24Lth day of July, 1899.

JAMES T. DOUGINE.

Witnesses:

E. F. WILSON, M. F. ALLEN. 

